Allan Watkins was a key member of Glamorgan's first Championship-winning side, in 1948, and in the same summer he became their first player to appear in an Ashes Test - it was a torrid baptism as he made 0 and 7, was badly hurt when hit on the shoulder by Ray Lindwall and only able to bowl four overs. He was a genuine allrounder at county level, a defensive middle-order batsman and a medium-fast swing bowler. However, in his Test career the popular Watkins delivered only as a batsman, even though he opened the bowling on his debut. Thirteen of his 15 caps came against India and South Africa, and both his centuries came overseas against them: 111 at Johannesburg in 1948-49, and 137 not out at Delhi three years later. Watkins was a serious asthma sufferer, and doctors eventually advised him to give up first-class cricket midway through the 1962 season. He went on to coach schools, most notably Framlingham and Oundle. Watkins also played football for Plymouth Argyle and Cardiff City.
Martin Williamson

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